Can A Heart Still Love, Even If It Has Stopped Beating?
by googlygummybear
Summary: Gracia Morris has been a corpse for over a year, and when an old friend shows up in the Land of the Dead, will she keep him for herself or will she help him get back to his true love?
1. A Corpse Bride

The pub was alive with loud rhythmical music, the Bone Boys tapping on their ribs as they danced around. Paul was skittering across the bar yelling for others to move in his much too thick French accent. Grace smiled as she watched Bonejangles snap and sing too the music produced by the Bone Boys.

Suddenly the music halted. Bonejangles rattled as he moved himself atop the piano, towering over the other corpses in the pub. He grabbed his black hat from his skull and leaned his skull towards where Grace sat, his one eyeball rolling from his right socket to the left.

"Everybody, I'd like to stop for one moment so that we can all recognize one of the greatest ladies we've had down in quite some time." He stopped as a few patrons clapped happily, "also to celebrate her first anniversary here downstairs, our very own Gracia Morris."

Everyone cheered, and Grace knew that if she was still able to blush, her blue skin would have a great tinge of red. Bonejangles hopped of the piano and began singing with the music of the Bone Boys.

"Congratulations my dear," Paul said happily, carrying a drink on his head.

"Thank you Paul," she said, a small bit of sarcasm seeping into her words.

Grace smiled as other congratulated her and eventually she was able to sneak out of the noisy pub. She slowly walked down the cobblestone streets up towards the Great Balcony. She lowered herself onto the bench and rested her elbows on her knees sighing as she glanced up, seeing the lights of the town in the distance.

"What's wrong dearie?" She heard a small feminine voice asked.

Black Widow slowly lowered herself down onto Grace's shoulder, looking up at the corpse. Grace moved and leaned back against the wall, her dark blue tangled hair falling over her shoulders.

"I just can't believe I've been dead for a year, it's seems like it's been so much longer."

"Do you miss that human boy?" Another voice asked, this time from inside her head.

Grace frowned and reached to her ear, pulling the small green maggot out of her head. She threw him onto the bench.

"Don't blame me," he said slinking his way onto her thigh.

""Don't worry dear, you'll find someone, you'll have a happy ending," Black Widow said with a smile.

"How can I? I'm dead, and there's no way I'm going to find someone that I like as much as I liked him."

Maggot and Black Widow looked at each other with sad expressions, knowing that their friend was upset. They knew she felt as though her heart should breaking even though it didn't beat, and that she would be crying if she was able too.

Black Widow was about to say something in an attempt to comfort the corpse, but was stopped when the three heard the sound of gravel crumbling, followed by a long thin arm reaching it way over the balcony edge, attempting to pull whoever was attached to it up.

Grace sat silently watching as a man finally managed to pull himself onto the ledge. He was adorned in a tailored black suit with a white undershirt and blue tie. His hair was a deep black ink color and slicked back. He stood up shakily showing off his long skinny legs, along with his matching arms. He turned to the side allowing Grace to see his profile, and she immediately knew who she was looking at.

Before she could speak up, the black haired man looked over at her, and his dark eyes widened in fear. He began stuttering and walking backwards, eventually hitting the railing. Grace stood up and slowly walked towards him, hoping not to scare him even more.

"Stay back, don't touch me," he said, his voice shaking.

She put her hand up, "it's alright Victor, I'm not going to hurt you."

Victor kept a tight grip on the railing, giving Grace a curious look, "how do you know my name?"

Grace frowned, she knew since she died she looked different. Her once dark black hair that usually was pulled back into a twisted bun was now a dark midnight blue and hung in a tangled mess down her back, and her pale skin had a light blue tint. Her right arm was completely bare of skin, and her left leg was bare from the middle of her thigh down. She remembered that a piece of skin on her cheek was also missing, showing off the jaw bone underneath.

"Victor, it's me," she paused, imagining that she was taking a deep breath, "Grace."

The young Van Dort boy looked at Grace closely, finally seeing it. He recognized the Victorian dress she wore, though now, it was dirtied and wrinkled and instead of a full length skirt, the bottom had been ripped off, showing her legs from the knee down. Her right sleeve was gone, he left sleeve still remained, with a small hole near the shoulder. She still wore a pair of black high heeled shoes, and they seemed to be the only part of her outfit that was undamaged.

"Grace?" Victor breathed quietly, the corpse girl nodded, a shy smile in her face. "But you're dead."

Grace frowned, "thanks for reminding me."

He shook his head, attempting to clear his mind, "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. It's just," he stopped taking a breath. Grace sighed, realizing how much she missed breathing. "Everyone here is dead, and I'm not."

"Then how did you get here?" Black Widow inquired from where she resided in. Grace's shoulder.

"I don't know. I ran out of my wedding rehearsal and into the woods, and suddenly everything went dark and when I woke up I was surrounded by corpses."

"Wedding rehearsal?" Grace mumbled, mostly to herself.

"Yes my parents arranged me to marry Victoria Everglot."

Grace sighed, of course, Victoria. She had met her before and she could understand why his parents chose her. For years Grace had wished that one day she and Victor would get married and would live a happy life together, but then the day came where fate had other plans.

"Congratulations."

Victor let out what sounded like a mix of a sigh and a chuckle, "thank you. Though it doesn't seem as though there's going to be a wedding now. I was such a fool at the rehearsal I'd understand if Victoria's parents called it off."

"You're not a fool Victor, you're just..." Grace trailed off, trying to find the right word, "awkward," she offered with a small smile.

He let out an actual laughed and face Grace a smile, "well thank you for saying so, but I'm sure everyone who was at the rehearsal would think differently."

Grace smiled when she saw his lips quirk into the rare smile he had, "Victor?" He looked up at her, showing that she had his attention, "do you want to go back?"

She knew what the answer was going too be, but she had to be sure before she took him to Elder Gutknecht.

"I think so," he said quietly.

She stood up, dreading that she had to send him back. But he was still alive, breathing with a beating heart. He had a fiancé and he had to go back, he couldn't stay in the Land of the Dead forever.

"Well then I know who can help you, come on," she grabbed his wrist and began pulling him along, heading towards the old tower Elder Gutknecht resided in.

* * *

Elder Gutknecht scratched his skull as he looked through his books, trying to find a spell that would allow him to send Victor back to the Land of the Living. His bony finger scanned the pages before stopping on one spell.

"Here it is, the Ukranian Haunting Spell," he said, his voice cracking due to his age. "Now, you understand that once you leave here, there is no way for you to return."

Victor nodded slowly, "I understand."

Elder Gutknecht nodded and grabbed a Raven as it flew past him. He squeezed it, causing it to lay an egg on his pedestal. He was about to crack the egg and send Victor back when Grace spoke up.

"Wait, is it possible that I could go with him?" She asked hopefully.

"Why would you want to go upstairs?" Gutknecht asked, confused by her request.

"It's been a whole year since I was alive. I want to see the town, even if it's from the distance. I really do miss it."

Elder Gutknecht looked at her for a second before nodded, "alright, but when you are ready to return simply say the word hopscotch."

Grace nodded and he continued with cracking the egg. A flurry of golden feathers spewed from the shell, engulfing the living man and corpse woman. When Grace opened her eyes she didn't see the tall, towering pedestal that belonged to a Elder Gutkencht, but instead she was standing in the middle of the forest just on the edge of town, the moon glowing and lighting up the snow covered ground.

"It's even more beautiful than I remember," she whispered taking a step, taking in the sound of the snow crunching beneath her feet.

Victor smiled as he watch her glide through the snow, spinning around and swinging around the trees. The moon illuminating her skin and hair, the smile on her face showed that this was the happiest she had been in a while.

She moved and grabbed around a tree, spinning around. Instead of stopping she ended up flying too the ground as her elbow disconnected from the rest of her arm and fell to the ground. It squirmed and the fingers began pulling it along the ground, trying to escape.

As it went past Victor, he bent down and picked it up, oddly not the slightest bit scared of the idea of touching a skeleton arm. He walked over to where Grace was pushing herself into a sitting position and grabbed her opposite hand before pulling her into a standing position.

She laughed shyly as Victor reconnected her arm, a smile on his face. He looked into her eyes and then noticed that she was quite a bit shorter than him, muster barely reaching the bottom of his nose. Soon he found himself leaning down, he hadn't even thought about kissing Grace since he had met her, but suddenly that was the only thought in his head.

Grace shook her head she noticed that he was leaning towards her, and that she had begun to to stretch upwards towards his lips as well. "You should probably go and find Victoria," she said suddenly.

Victor glanced at her, realizing what had almost happened and straightened up, clearing his throat nervously, "you're right," he back up a few steps and then turned completely. As he reached the edge of the forest he turned back and gave Grace a sincere smile, "thank you Grace, for all of your help."

She gave him a sad smile and nodded, he turned back again and kept walking. Down the path, over the bridge and eventually disappearing behind the building in town. Grace sighed sadly and sat down on a large stone, she gazed up at the moon and allowed herself to bask in the glow a bit longer before going back.

"Why didn't you tell him?" She heard Maggot's voice say from inside her head.

"Shut up," she huffed angrily, "how did you get in there anyway?"

He suddenly appeared on her shoulder, looking up at her, "I have my ways. Now why didn't you tell the human you like him?"

"He's got a fiancé, he has to marry her."

"Maybe he could marry you if you had told him."

"For all I know he loves Victoria, and I will not ruin his happiness. I know what it's like to have love ripped from your hands and I will not do that to Victor or Victoria."

"Why not?"

_MAGGOT_  
_What does that wispy little brat have that you don't have?_

_GRACE_  
_How about a pulse?_

_MAGGOT_  
_Overrated by a mile_  
_If he knew the you that I know_  
_He'd stop dead in his tracks_

Grace sighed, resting her chin on her palm

_MAGGOT_  
_And that silly little creature doesn't do what you do_  
_She doesn't play piano_  
_Or dance_  
_Or sing_  
_No she doesn't compare_

_GRACE_  
_But she still breathes air_

_MAGGOT_  
_Who cares?_  
_Unimportant _  
_If only he could see_  
_How special you can be_  
_If he knew the you that I know_  
_He'd stop dead in his tracks_

_GRACE_  
_I know her heart is beating_  
_And I know that I am dead_  
_Yet the pain here that I feel_  
_You can't tell me it's not real_  
_For it seems that I still have a tear to shed_

_MAGGOT_  
_The sure redeeming feature_  
_From that little creature_  
_Is that she's alive_  
_Unimportant, overrated_  
_Everybody know that's just a temporary state_  
_Which is cured very quickly when we meet our fate_  
_Oh if only he could see_  
_How special you can be_  
_If he knew the you that I know_  
_He would stop dead in his tracks_

_GRACE_  
_Oh how my heart is aching_  
_Though it doesn't beat it's breaking_  
_And the pain here that I feel_  
_Try and tell me it's not real_  
_I know that I am dead_  
_Yet it seems that I still have some tears to shed_

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Grace gasped and looked towards the edge of the woods, seeing Victor standing there.

She was suddenly glad she couldn't blush, "Victor, I thought you had gone too find Victoria."

"I did, but when I was talking to her and explaining why I ran away, I realized that Victoria wasn't the woman I wanted to marry."

Grace felt as though of she was alive, her heart would be beating a million beats a minute as Victor walked closer to her, taking the hand that still had skin in his own, "what do you mean?"

"I mean," he lifted her hand to his mouth and gently laid a kiss on her knuckles, "I want to marry you, Gracia Morris."

The corpses eyes widened, her left one threatening to pop out. She had never known Victor to be a romantic, he was always so awkward around girls, and he had a tendency to start babbling when he got nervous.

"Victor," she said quietly, "I don't know what to say."

He chuckled and pulled her closer to him, "there's nothing to be said."

The next thing Grace registered was that Victor had his lips on hers. It was a light kiss, but for her it was the best kiss. It was also her first, even counting the years she had actually been living, and she wouldn't have traded it for anything.

A few days later Grace was standing in front of Victor, wearing a dress borrowed to her by another corpse. They were in the Land of the Living at the very church he and Victoria would have gotten married at. Almost every corpse from the Land of the Dead was seated in one of the many pews, along with a few humans as well.

Victor smiled at her as he raised his hand and began his vows, "with this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty," he picked up the gold goblet Elder Gutknecht had set out, "for I will be your wine."

Grace closed her eyes and prepared herself before opening them again and looking at her groom, she raised her hand and began, "with this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty," she picked up the red vile that contained the Wine of Ages that would stop Victors heart heart, "for I will be your wine."

She poured the blood red liquid into Victor's goblet and slowly brought it to his lips. He tilted his head back and drank down the entire goblet before setting it back on the table. He stood, waiting for the wine to take its effect.

After a mere few seconds his breath hitched in his throat and he began coughing wildly. Grace went to help him, but was stopped by Elder Gutknecht. Finally the crouching fit subsided and Victor stood up straight looking at Grace.

His black hair now had a small tinge of blue too it, but it still looked as inky black as before, and his pale ghost white skin had gained a blue tint and his chest was know longer rising and falling with breaths.

Elder Gutknecht nodded at Victor signaling him to finish the vows. Victor nodded and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a simple gold ring, "with this ring, I ask you to be mine."

Grace happily let him take her hand and slip the ring on her finger, "I know pronounce you husband and wife."

Victor and Grace smiled as they shared a small kiss, their first kiss as husband and wife, their first kiss both as corpses. The entire church became loud as everyone clapped happily for the new couple. But Grace could only stare into Victors eyes, knowing that everything would be different from this point, and knowing that she was okay with that.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this. I just recently watched 'Corpse Bride' again and I was inspired to write this story. For now it's a one-shot, but if enough people want then I may be willing to extend it. Let me know by reviewing and favoriting this story!**

**~Googlygummybear~**


	2. And So They Meet

A six year old Gracia sat quietly at the base of a large oak tree, a tattered fairytale storybook sat in her lap. She smiled as her attention was pulled away from the book, a small boy most likely her age or a year older was playing with a small dog, he laughed as the dog jumped on his and licked his face as he held a small bone just out of the dogs reach.

Finally the young boy threw it, the dog immediately turning around so it could chase it. The bone landed directly on top of the open pages of the book Gracia held on her lap. She shrieked suddenly when the dog jumped on her to retrieve the bone, though the small animal turned towards Gracia instead of picking up the bone. The dog began licking Gracia's face, causing the young girl to laugh.

"No Scraps, down." The boy said coming over and pulled on the dog's collar.

Scraps reluctantly back away from her and sat next to his owner, his tongue sticking out as he breathed.

"It's alright, he's such a sweet dog," Gracia said with a smile. She moved the book off of her lap and sat on her knees, scratching the dog behind ear, causing him to shake his hind leg.

The boy laughed and patted the dog's head. "Yes, Scrap wouldn't hurt a fly," he knelt down next to the dog, "would you boy?" he asked. Scraps responded by rolling over onto his back, exposing his stomach.

Gracia laughed and rubbed his belly, his owned doing the same. "I'm Gracia, by the way," she said suddenly, noticing that she hadn't introduced herself properly, "Gracia Morris."

"I'm Victor Van Dort."

"Well it's very nice to meet you Victor."

"And you as well Gracia."

"Um, you can call me Grace if you'd like, that's what my friends call me," she muttered with a small blush.

Victor smiled, "so we're friends?" he asked happily.

Gracia smiled brightly and nodded, "of course."

Suddenly the sound of two different women yelling drew the children's attention. Each voice was coming from a different end of the park the two sat in.

"That's my mother," Victor stood and brushed off his knees.

Gracia nodded, "that's my mom too." She scratched Scraps ear one last time before standing up and brushing off the front of her dress.

"It was nice to meet you Grace," Victor said with a small smile.

"It was very nice to meet you too Victor, I hope we can see each other again." Grace smiled when she saw the young boy blush a little.

He nodded, "I'd like that."

Gracia smiled again before grabbing her fairytale book and turning to leave the park, turning around and giving Victor a large wave. He returned it before turning and leaving with Scraps. She turned and did the same, catching up with her mother, and immediately telling her about Victor and Scraps.

* * *

**Just a cute little chapter about how Grace and Victor met. I'm thinking of doing a bunch of chapters about Victor and Grace's life while they're alive up until when Grace dies. Then if anyone has any suggestions they'd be greatly appreciated. Or if anyone has any suggestions for chapters about the two while they're alive, they'd also be appreciated.**

**~Googlygummybear~**


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